News Broadcasting
US public radio moving towards digital future
MUMBAI: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in the US has announced that grants of over $ five million, in an attempt to help 76 public radio stations in America including 25 serving rural and minority audiences, purchase the equipment needed to transmit digital signalss.
A company release informs that digital radio is an advance in radio broadcast technology that could increase significantly the quality and scope of programme services, as well as to provide richer quality sound than is currently available. CPB is encouraging and supporting the early adoption of the new technology by providing matching funds to the eligible stations.
These funds are part of the nearly $150 million in funding that the US house of Congress has provided to CPB over the last four years to assist both public radio and public television stations to convert from analogue transmission to digital. Additional proposals for the remainder of available 2003 digital radio funds are being reviewed. These funding decisions will be announced next month.
CPB will earmark funding for 2004 to assist more stations, including those serving rural and minority markets in making the digital transition. Stations will be able to apply for another round of digital funding in the next couple of months.
CPB, a private, non profit corporation was created by Congress in 1967. It develops educational public radio, television and online services for Americans. The corporation claims to be the industry’s largest single source of funds for national public television and radio programme development and production. CPB a grant making organisation claims to be funding over 1000 public radio and television stations.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
